Be moderate in eating and drinking. Mindful of the passing of time, engage yourself in zazen as though saving your head from fire.
DogenRead
To start from the self and try to understand all things is delusion. To let the self be awakened by all things is enlightenment.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of understanding the world beyond oneself rather than being trapped in the self-centered perspective.
Dogen suggests that a narrow focus on oneself leads to delusion, as it limits the understanding of the broader reality. True enlightenment comes from opening oneself to the experiences and insights that come from engaging with the world, leading to a deeper comprehension of life and existence.
Themes
SelfEnlightenmentDelusionUnderstandingWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about personal growth and self-awareness.
More from Dogen
All quotes βIn the assemblies of the enlightened ones there have been many cases of mastering the Way bringing forth the heart of plants and trees; this is what awakening the mind for enlightenment is like. The fifth patriarch of Zen was once a pine-planting wayfarer; Rinzai worked on planting cedars and pines on Mount Obaku. . . . Working with plants, trees, fences and walls, if they practice sincerely they will attain enlightenment.
DogenRead
A fool sees himself as another, but a wise man sees others as himself.
DogenRead
Do not travel to other dusty lands, forsaking your own sitting place; if you cannot find the truth where you are now, you will never find it.
DogenRead
Do no harmful actions, do not become attached to the cycle of death and rebirth, show kindness, respect the old and have compassion for the young, do not have a heart that rejects or a heart that covets and have no worry or sadness in your heart. This is what is called enlightenment. Do not seek it elsewhere.
DogenRead
You should stop searching for phrases and chasing after words. Take the backward step and turn the light inward. Your body-mind of itself will drop off and your original face will appear. If you want to attain just this, immediately practice just this.
DogenRead
Similar quotes
Baldwin often times stumbles over the truth, but he always picks himself up and hurries on as if nothing had happened.
Winston ChurchillRead
Before we can be cured we must want to be cured. Those who really wish for help will get it; but for many modern people even the wish is difficult.
C. S. LewisRead
When granted many years of life, growing old in age is natural, but growing old with grace is a choice. Growing older with grace is possible for all who will set their hearts and minds on the Giver of grace, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Billy GrahamRead
From the perfection of Allah's ihsan is that He allows His slave to taste the bitterness of the break before the sweetness of the mend. So He does not break his believing slave, except to mend him. And He does not withhold from him, except to give him. And He does not test him (with hardship), except to cure him.
Ibn Qayyim Al-JawziyyaRead
Here's the truth about telling stories with your life. It's going to sound like a great idea, and you're going to get excited about it, and then when it comes time to do the work, you're not going to want to do it. It's like that with writing books, and it's like that with life. People love to have lived a great story, but few people like the work it takes to make it happen. But joy costs pain.
Donald MillerRead
The thing about information is that information is more valuable when people know it. There's an exception for business information and super timely information, but in all other cases, ideas that spread win.
Seth GodinRead